I told you I was going to be reviewing things for The Old Schoolhouse, but what I did not tell you was that my first review was going to be a review of The Old Schoolhouse magazine itself! So, without further ado:
I have been a TOS subscriber for 4 years now, and I am a raving fan of this wonderful magazine. I am a fast reader and normally skim magazines and read the articles that interest me in a few minutes, and then I am finished. Well, with TOS it is completely different. This magazine is packed with meaty articles and contains such rich resources that I read it slowly, over a week or so, in order to fully enjoy each treasure-packed page!
I would not be exaggerating to state that TOS has opened my eyes to the larger world of homeschooling. I have learned in depth about each style of homeschooling, received great support for me in my role of wife and homeschooling mom, and gotten great ideas to use in my home as I learn alongside my children. It is so refreshing to read a magazine that embraces a biblical worldview, rather than being politically correct all the time, and I appreciate the way TOS is unafraid to challenge the status quo. It is enjoyable to read and well written by an interesting and diverse group of talented writers who are homeschoolers themselves.
My children eagerly await the magazine, now, too. Although it is not a kids magazine, each issue has a great section that you can use as a unit study with your children. It is like getting free curriculum! They are wonderful studies on widely varying topics- some favorites at our house from past issues have been trains and hummingbirds!
In fact, without The Old Schoolhouse magazine, you would not be reading this right now. Here are the reasons:
1. I learned about blogging from the magazine, so I might not be blogging without it.
2. If I was blogging, somehow, it would not be here. TOS owns Homeschool Blogger... enough said!
3. I have had times in my homeschooling where I was not sure what to do or was struggling with something, and the information and encouragement in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine helped me to keep going. So, I think it is fair to say that without TOS, it is possible I would not still be homeschooling.
This would probably be a good time to state that in my reviews I will always strive for a fair and balanced perspective that is brutally honest. I will tell the bad with the good as I see it. However, in the case of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, I cannot honestly say that I find anything wrong with it. As you will see in a second, I can't even find fault with the price. (Which is usually my hangup with nearly everything.... ahh, the life of a Cheapskate.) I even find the ads informative and helpful to me in my homeschool journey!
I wanted to tell you all about The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's Fall Special. You can get two years of the magazine, 6 fabulous physical gifts (no downloads!) worth over $120, plus the current issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine that is full of ideas for the new school year, so you start receiving your magazine in a flash!
It really is one of their best deals ever and you don't want to miss out. In fact, they've got a really cute Homeschooling with Heart tote bag (valued at $13.95) for the first 1000 to subscribe. About half of them are gone, but you should still be able to get one if you hurry! (They will remove the info from the subscription page when the bags are all gone.)
The total value is over $212, but you receive it all for only $39 - 50% off of cover price! Plus subscribers get their online monthly Teacher's Toolbox which focuses on a different topic each month, giving you words of encouragement, hands-on teaching ideas, book recommendations, field trip ideas, and a bonus download item.
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine has helped me to feel like part of the larger homeschooling family, has encouraged and challenged me, and educated our family in countless ways. So, in case you haven't picked it up yet, I will state it outright: TOS gets a glowing review from me! I consider it a Must-Have for any homeschooler... and with the great deal going on right now, you won't want to miss out!
Click here to check it out!
|
Oct. 12, 2008 - :)
Looking forward to it,
Amy
Trujillo, Peru